


Social Expectations

by Dazzledfirestar



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Domestic Avengers, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-21
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 20:34:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1996899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazzledfirestar/pseuds/Dazzledfirestar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He appreciates the invitation but he's not sure why the Avengers would want him around exactly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Social Expectations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kat8cha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kat8cha/gifts).



> Written for a kat on tumblr. Prompt: SHIELD daddies, a day at the park

It felt a little like babysitting. Why Stark thought having a picnic was a good idea—or why Stark thought any of his ideas were good when it came to this kind of thing—Nick would never know. Why he’d earned an invite was slightly less mysterious but still didn’t really make the day easier to swallow. The Avengers wanted to see Phil and since apparently any secrets they had about their private lives had floated out onto the internet with everything else, Ms. Potts had taken it upon herself to invite him too. Because Stark wouldn’t care either way and wouldn’t feel bad inviting Phil without him.

Honestly he would have been totally okay with that. Well, maybe not okay with it but a lot more comfortable than sitting on a blanket in the park watching Barton peg off his teammates with a Frisbee.

At least the food was good. It might have been the first catered picnic he’d ever been too.

“You’re brooding.”

Nick looked up as Natasha sat down beside him and he shrugged. “Just giving them some space.”

“Them or him?”

“Both.”

She frowned, just a little and reached across him, taking a skewer off his plate and sliding the first piece of meat on it into her mouth. “If they wanted space, you wouldn’t have been invited no matter what Pepper had to say about it.”

“That’s comforting.”

“You aren’t the director of SHIELD anymore.” 

“I am actually aware o—“

“Are you? That means you don’t have to do the Director Fury bit with them anymore.” She waved her hand vaguely toward the gathering around the table full of food. He watched as Phil mingled, raising an eyebrow at Stark, trying to act cool in front of Rogers—and failing but it was pretty cute—and throwing a couple dad jokes at Barton. The good ones, from the way Clint was laughing. When he looked back, she gave him a tiny smile. “He’s not the only one that wants you here.”

Nick couldn’t help but smile back a little and he reached out, patting her knee before taking a piece of meat off the skewer in her hand. “Thanks.”

“Don’t you want to enjoy not being dead anymore?” She nudged his shoulder with her own and handed the skewer to him.

Nick shook his head and chuckled. “Nick Fury is still dead.”

“Mm.” She nodded. “But Marcus Johnson isn’t.”

“You’re starting to sound like Phil.”

“I could do worse.” 

He chuckled again. “Yes, you could.” He watched the group interact for another moment. “I’ll think about it.”

“Think fast before Stark eats all the chocolate covered strawberries.” She climbed to her feet, gently kicking his foot before heading toward the food table again.

He watched as she and Phil shared a nod in passing. There was probably more in that nod than anyone other than the two of them knew but he wasn’t going to poke at that particular bear in that moment. Maybe later. 

“That looked serious.” Phil sat down next to him, setting a plate full of the previously mentioned chocolate covered strawberries between them.

Nick smiled and picked one up, popping it in his mouth before he spoke. “Apparently I’m not social enough for Natasha.”

“You’d think she’d know that by now.” He smiled and reached up, pulling Nick down for a soft kiss. It was new; this ability to do that in public and around people they knew. Phil had decided that he was tired of hiding and Nick hadn’t been able to argue. It wasn’t like it would put a bigger target on Phil anymore. If anything, their positions were switched and given that he was still technically dead, most people weren’t looking too closely at this Marcus Johnson guy. Most of the people who that name meant anything to were dead anyway. When he pulled back, Phil’s smile turned into a smirk. “Planning on dragging me off to a dark corner?”

“We could hide in the bushes if you want.” Nick smirked back and pulled him into another kiss. He didn’t pull back until Stark’s voice cut across the space. 

“Not in front of the kids! Clint doesn’t need to see Mom and Dad making out!”

Nick’s smirk turned a little evil as he spoke. “Clint, you mind?”

“Not at all!”

“That’s what I thought. Shut up, Stark!”

Phil laughed and shook his head. “That’s as social as you’re going to get, isn’t it?”

Nick pulled him in for another kiss, smiling against his lips. “For today? Yeah.”


End file.
